This paper summarizes the methods for evaluating the selectivity of fishing gear, including species- and size-selection resulting from various kinds of fishing gear and sorting devices, which have been developed by the authors over the last 30 years. Firstly, we briefly outline the master curve method to estimate the trawl selection curve of target mesh size, based on the Baranov’s geometrical similarity assumption that there is a geometrical similarity in the combination of body size and mesh opening at a given retention probability. Secondly, we review the development process of the SELECT method for estimating a selection curve with an explanation of the factors affecting split parameters in the SELECT method, such as fishing effort, catchability, and sampling fraction. Thirdly, we describe the conditions for data pooling in replicated comparative fishing experiments with fishing gears of different specifications. Finally, we outline a contact probability model for evaluating contact selection and available selection of towed net with a sorting device, such as grids, square mesh windows, and dredge tooth.

It is well known that there is bias using sampling gear, such as a framed midwater trawl (FMT), when measuring the density and length distribution of target species. This limit is characterized by the catch efficiency of the gear. To improve the accuracy of abundance estimates from catch, it is necessary to determine the catch efficiency of the sampling gear. Acoustic monitoring can be used to determine the catch efficiency of the gear, as its non-invasive, wide-range sweeps provide more reliable estimates of absolute abundance of the target species. In this study, we proposed a method to estimate the catch efficiency of FMT using acoustic data for juvenile walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). Experimental hauls using FMT with black netting were conducted 17 times in nighttime, as a result, juveniles of fork length ranged from 10 to 70 mm was caught. The estimated efficiency by each haul decreased with the fork length increases with sampling periods. Additionally, the efficiency was estimated by the fork length class of 10 mm intervals using multiple regression, then its variation with length showed same tendency with the result mentioned above.

This is an abstract of the paper that won Best Paper Award 2020 of the Society of Fisheries Engineers. This paper is part of the Shimonoseki Pufferfish Research Project conducted by the National Fisheries University from 2016 to 2019. This paper, as the title suggests, is a mathematical model of a puffer fish pattern. The reason for reproducing pufferfish patterns is to build a system to identify pufferfish species from their body patterns. The research was initiated based on the idea that if the patterns of puffer fish could be reproduced, it could be used effectively to identify puffer fish. Identifying pufferfish species for human consumption is conducted by experts who hold a license to cook pufferfishes. Nevertheless, it is difficult to identify the parental species and the poisoned parts of interspecific hybrid pufferfishes. Therefore, putative hybrids are completely excluded from the distribution process. Developing a system to identify hybrid pufferfishes will decrease the erroneous identification of pufferfish species. In this study, to apply to such identification system, pufferfish skin patterns were replicated using a cellular automata (CA) model. Here the CA model was based on Turing patterns through the exchange of binary values between neighboring cells. Despite the simplicity of the model, which uses five parameters (three parameters related to basic color pattern and two parameters for creating a large black spot) to produce skin patterns, it can produce characteristic skin patterns of all edible species of Takifugu.

底曳網で漁獲したナミクダヒゲエビを漁獲直後から5日間氷蔵して，筋肉中に含まれるATP関連化合物の濃度変化を調べた。曳網速度は2.0ノットで一定，着底曳網15分間でエビ類を採集した後（コントロール），35分間，65分間の離底曳網を行った。コッドエンド前端に取り付けた水中カメラの映像からナミクダヒゲエビはコッドエンド内で静止し続けているのが観察された。コントロール，離底曳網35分，65分ではATP関連化合物濃度に有意差はみられず，氷蔵1日後にはATPは消失し，2日後からHxRが検出され始め，Hxは検出されなかった。

海洋波の時系列データを線形確率過程として取り扱うことによって海洋波の研究が発展してきた。しかし，これらは微小振幅波理論に基づいているため制約がある。この理論では海洋波の時系列データの不規則性は多数の成分波の線形重ね合わせによるものとされている。したがって，計測された海洋波の時系列データが十分な線形性を有していない場合，パワースペクトラム密度関数等による解析や評価は不十分にならざるを得ない。本研究ではフェイズ・ランダマイズド・サロゲートデータを用いて計測された海洋波の時系列データの線形性を評価する方法について論じる。具体的には計測された時系列データの再構成軌道の幾何学的特徴を定量化することにより評価する。

本研究の目的は，定置網漁業の操業日を，一日あたりの陸上選別作業時間と水揚量を指標として，分類可能か検証することであった。対象は高知県黒潮町鈴地区とした。分析手法には，潜在クラス回帰分析を用いた。従属変数は日別の陸上選別作業時間，独立変数は日別の水揚量とした。分析期間は，2018年10月24日から2019年7月16日までの175日間とした。分析の結果，175日の操業日は3つに分けられることが明らかになった。

1.　選別台を2台用いる操業日。

2.　設備の破損や通常とは大きく異なる水揚げがあった操業日。

3.　選別台を1台用いる操業日。

More than fifty years have passed since many seawalls were constructed along reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay, thus they have become deteriorated. Currently, the extending the lifespan of the seawalls and creating suitable habitats for aquatic organisms, are recognized as vital issues. In addition, the reuse of massive industrial by-products for the port facilities maintenance remains an issue. We therefore designed a counterweight mound in front of an existing seawall, by employing civil engineering materials made of dredged soil and steelmaking slag in Tokyo Bay. The results of monitoring surveys of the mound demonstrate that the mound successively fosters an algal community, including various benthos and fish populations.

Fishermen are severely concerned that the underwater noise generated by offshore wind power will have an irreversible effect on the behavior of marine organisms and fishing activities. Accordingly, the surrounding environment of offshore wind farms has continually investigated as part of the environmental impact assessment. This paper has been summarized the effects of underwater noise generated from offshore wind power on the behavior of marine mammals, marine reptiles (sea turtles) and fishes. The main items are as follows. 1) Characteristics of underwater noise generated from offshore wind power. 2) Auditory characteristic of marine organisms. 3) The effects of underwater noise generated from offshore wind power on the behavior of marine organisms.